Charge pumps are frequently used in phase locked loops (PLLs), delay locked loops (DLLs), voltage regulators, and other applications in order to provide a voltage level that is higher or lower than a source voltage. To do this, charge pumps typically incorporate one or more capacitors in combination with alternating current sources and a switching mechanism to add (or subtract) stored charges on the one or more capacitors, thus resulting in a customized output voltage related to the amount of capacitance and stored charge.
However, charge pumps are susceptible to radiation events such as Single Event Upsets (SEUs). These events can greatly disrupt the charge pump output and in turn, disrupt the systems in which the charge pumps reside. For example, FIG. 1 is a differential output voltage graph 10 illustrating a type of disturbance 12 that might be observed in a phase-locked loop when a charge pump experiences a radiation event. For applications such as spaced-based electronics and others requiring high reliability, a charge pump topology that is less susceptible to SEUs would be desirable.